From Outside Of Waco, Texas, a Love Story For The Ages Spreads Throughout The World

WOODWAY, TX — The little town of Woodway, Texas, just outside Waco in the eastern part of the state, is a rather unassuming city of less than 9,000 people. Its major point of interest — a 6-acre arboretum open daily without admission fee — is reflective of the peaceful, quiet lives of its denizens.

And yet from this hamlet comes a love story for the ages.

Last Friday, Hazel and Leonard Cherry died just hours apart after 74 years together. KWTX-TV reports that Hazel died Oct. 27 at a local hospital. Leonard died just 10 hours later days after being placed under hospice care in Waco.

“I feel blessed that Daddy’s suffering is over, and I feel blessed that mom is with him and that she didn’t have to live alone,” the couple's only son, 72-year-old David Cherry, told the news station.

Since news of their deaths was reported by CNN and People magazine, the love story has traveled around the globe. In the process, the power of the couple's love for each other has yielded inspiration throughout the world, yielding a respite from usually grim headlines.

"I hope it's an inspiration for people," the couple's son told the station. “It's sort of a feel-good story, and we need that now with all that's going on in our political storm in this country and the events around the world."

The Cherrys' two grandchildren, Lisa Pittard and Craig Cherry, agreed with their father's assessment.

"In a world filled with cynicism and so many frightening things as terrorism and everything else that is bad in the world it's refreshing to see a story about two people who love each other and love so many other people for such a long period of time," Craig Cherry said.

Humble, Texas, native Leonard Cherry was born in 1921 and later served as a B-24 bomber pilot during World War II. His bride was born two years later in Fayette County. The year America was thrust into a world war, the couple were married in Muldoon, Texas, in 1942,

After World War II, he took a job as an auto body repairman in Fort Worth before opening his own shop in 1949, which the couple ran together until 1980.

They later sold the business and moved to Woodway to be close to their son and grandchildren, according to the report. Leonard Cherry was 95 years old at his passing, while Hazel was 93.

"We were able to be with them for so many years they watched us grow up and just seeing their story told and going national, international," Pittard said. "It's just a beautiful thing.”

>>> Read the full story at KWTX